Two eagles, a round of 66, and a leap up the leaderboard – Chizzy Iwai made a true statement on the course at the BMW Ladies Championship. With a stellar round of 6-under 66 on Friday, the Japanese player grabbed the spotlight, following her opening 69 with a total of 135 (9-under par), and is now T6.
The two chip-in eagles on the par-5 6th and 17th holes were pure magic, more than making up for the setback of a double bogey on the 15th. Iwai even reached 10-under par at one point before the setback – but her response with an eagle on the 17th and a closing birdie on the 18th was incredibly strong.
Within Striking Distance of the Lead
She had the Pine Beach Golf Links course in Haenam, South Korea, measuring 6,784 yards (6,139 meters) and playing to a par 72, firmly under control. Iwai is currently four strokes behind leader Haeran Ryu, who sits atop the leaderboard at 13-under par after a round of 64. She shares sixth place with Yuri Yoshida and Minju Kim, but her sights are clearly set on the top.
Excitement Guaranteed
The field is tightly packed, and the $2.4 million purse promises intense excitement for the remaining 36 holes. Lauren Coughlin and Minsun7 Kim are lurking just two shots back at 11-under par, while Julia Lopez Ramirez and Karis Davidson are T4 at 10-under par. Iwai is therefore right in the thick of the title chase and holds every chance to seize the lead.
